


Brave

by cellard00rs



Category: Pocahontas (1995)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff, Kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-09-26 03:31:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9860453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cellard00rs/pseuds/cellard00rs
Summary: Pocahontas wants Nakoma to choose their next adventure





	

“But there must be something you want to do,” Pocahontas says this with an earnest air as she flitters around Nakoma like her pet hummingbird. Nakoma eyes her nervously as she shifts from foot to foot. All the men in the village are out hunting and most of the women and children are up to their own devices – this is not an uncommon occurrence.

In fact, its frequency can be testament as to why Pocahontas has been on so many adventures – adventures in which Nakoma is almost always dragged along. Well, ‘dragged’ is a bit much. Nakoma does enjoy getting out of the village. She appreciates the beauty of the open world, of nature, just as much as her friend does. That said; her ideas for a fun day differ from time to time. She enjoys tanning skins, preparing food, weaving – many, many things that Pocahontas would no doubt find dull.

Yet here she is, asking Nakoma what she would like to do. And really, Nakoma doesn’t want to ask to do any of the mundane things she’s thought of, that she’s done. Pocahontas takes her to roaring waterfalls and forests full of fireflies. How is Nakoma supposed to compete with that? She can’t think of anything as thrilling or as exciting…she’s starting to wonder if maybe she’s just…boring.

If she won’t become one of the old, stone-eyed women of their tribe, the ones who lost their sheen long ago. Some of them have reinvigorated it with children but, honestly? Nakoma’s not sure how much she actually _wants_ children. She understands their role and importance, of course she does! She’s just as much a stickler for tradition as any other woman but…they seem like a handful.

And while she has found many of the men handsome, she’s not sure, ah…what is she even thinking? Pocahontas is still looking at her, dark eyes glittering with excitement and Nakoma sighs, “I don’t see why you don’t just come up with something. You always do. Sailing or exploring or-!”

“But you never come up with one,” Pocahontas offers earnestly, “I was speaking with Grandmother Willow and she made me realize I’ve…well, I’ve been a bit selfish.”

“Pocahontas!” Nakoma cries, more than ready to argue, but her friend waves it off, “No, it’s true! I always have you join me on my excursions, but I never let you chose something for us to do! That’s not right! Or fair!”

“Hmm, I don’t think life is _supposed_ to be fair…”

“But we can make every effort to try and make it so,” she contends and Nakoma shrugs, unhappy at her friend’s persistence. She honestly can’t think of anything special they can do and she doesn’t particularly like being put on the spot. What is she supposed to say? Let’s make jewelry? Let’s pick ears of corn from the fresh harvest? Those ideas are uninspired; not worthy of the daughter of the chief. Nakoma racks her brain, trying to come up with something, when…

…okay and no. No, no, just…no. _That_ is something she’s thought about doing, but she can’t possibly…

“You have an idea!” Pocahontas breathes, her face awash with excitement as she takes Nakoma’s hands in hers and swings them around the tiny hut, “I can see it! I can see it! Oh, what is it!”

“It’s-it’s nothing…”

“It’s not nothing!” she urges, “I saw it, Nakoma! You had an idea of something we could do today! Your face took on this…hazy quality. Like the soft fog that rolls in when the sun first rises! I bet it’s a _brilliant_ idea! Oh, please – come on! You can tell me!”

“ _No_ ,” Nakoma says firmly and she draws her hands back from Pocahontas, her cheeks burning, “I can’t.”

Her tone is firm, almost vicious and Pocahontas looks startled. It’s not like Nakoma to be so brusque. Nakoma feels bad too, coming off so harsh, so she breathes in deep, doing her best to gentle her tone, “Look, Pocahontas…I appreciate you asking me. I do. I wish I could offer you a fun day, a great adventure, but…I’m-I’m not like you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not-! I’m not…” Nakoma walks around in a little circle, rubbing at her arms, suddenly cold as she avoids looking into Pocahontas’s face. She knows she’ll see compassion and beauty… _beauty_. Pocahontas is _so_ beautiful. Her skin is a dusky tan – like the warm, sunbaked earth and her lips are lush, full and rosy like the fresh bloomed flowers on the water bank. And her hair! It’s a sheet of dark black like the night sky! And here is Nakoma…just…plain old Nakoma.

Nakoma with skin like dirt, eyes like pits, lips flat and timidly pink and hair…god, her hair is a short, chunky mass. Like the dark vegetation beneath the waves. No, Nakoma is nothing next to her friend and her thoughts about her friend…they’re just not to be borne. Nakoma can’t even nail down when they started. Some sinful night to be sure. The thought, the idea, the imaginings of…

And it’s not something she can do. Not ever. And it’s certainly not something she can suggest they do today. No, she’s better off offering some stupid idea. Like the ones she discarded earlier. And just when she’s about to suggest one, just when she’s about to offer threading jewelry, Pocahontas pushes, “Come on, Nakoma – you want to say something. You should just say it.”

“I’m not brave like you,” Nakoma says the words and blinks. Her head rises up and she looks at Pocahontas, surprised. That’s _not_ what she meant to say! No! She was supposed to suggest threading together stones! She was supposed to say something normal and non-committal! She certainly wasn’t supposed to say _exactly_ what she was thinking, but Pocahontas looks so interested now, “What do you mean? You’re brave!”

 _Nakoma_ , a tiny voice whispers in her mind, _Nakoma, go back to your silence. Go back to your simpleness. Go back to being the unexciting friend. Go back to safety_.

Instead.

“I’m not, Pocahontas. I’m not brave. Not at all,” Nakoma lets out a dry, shaky laugh and shakes her head roughly, eyes suddenly blurry as she looks at her hands, “I’m not like you. You, who can face grizzlies head on. You, who can leap from clifftops. You, who can-can do anything you set your heart to! You’re wild and free and I’m…I’m not…”

“Nakoma,” Pochaontas whispers and she takes her friend’s hands, squeezes them, “Please. Look at me.”

Nakoma shakes her head again but Pocahontas releases just one hand so she can reach out, run it gently beneath her chin to tip her head up and they lock eyes and Nakoma trembles, terrified and ashamed as Pocahontas murmurs, “I’m sorry. Sorry for being such a bad friend.”

“Pochaontas, no…”

“Yes. A good friend would have noticed you hurting long ago. It took Grandmother Willow’s words to even make me realize you might wish to choose one of our adventures and now I see…I see there is much, much more going on. You doubt yourself and it breaks my heart. Nakoma, you are one of the bravest, fiercest girls I know! I hate to hear you say such things about yourself, to see you in such pain…please, let me help you. Let me know what your idea was. It cannot be so terrible, so terrifi-!”

The words end in a strange hum as Nakoma crushes their mouths together. Their lips touch for no more than seconds before Nakoma draws back, eyes wide as she chokes, “I-I-I’m so sorry, Pocahontas! I-I should’ve never-! I-I didn’t-didn’t mean-!”

Pocahontas pushes some of her long, silky strands of hair behind one ear as she blushes, “You…didn’t mean it?”

“What? _No_! Of course, not! I would never-!”

“I…see,” Pocahontas looks…disappointed. And Nakoma doesn’t understand why. Doesn’t Pocahontas see the wickedness in her actions? A woman kissing another…it’s not right! At least…not like _that_. Not like the way Nakoma has envisioned, imagined…kissing like couples do. She’s pictured it before. Cupping Pocahontas’s face in her hands, pressing their lips together, tongues touching and…

..and Pocahontas still looks sad. Her eyes are downcast and Nakoma sucks in a noisy breath, “ _That_ , Pocahontas! _That_ is what I wanted to do! What I would do if I was brave and that’s…that’s not an adventure we should share. Is…is it?”

The last is asked in the softest and shakiest of whispers. It’s hot with terror and anxiety and just as Nakoma is thinking of fleeing the hut, just as she’s thinking of running for her life only to meet her friend much, much later and pretend like it never happened; Pocahontas suddenly surges towards her and locks their lips again.

Again it’s…awkward. Unusual. Their lips mashed together. But then Nakoma moves her head, just so slightly, tilts it and her lips part and Pocahontas…great spirits, she _moans_. She moans and their tongues touch and sparks shoot all along Nakoma’s skin. Her body feels like liquid, a rushing river beat behind her heart and she’s soaring like the great eagle as the kisses deepens, as they become more sure in their actions.

Her fingers thread through Pocahontas’s hair, tugging ever so lightly and Pocahontas moans again, her own hands brushing up and down Nakoma’s spine, drawing her closer and their breasts brush against one another and Nakoma’s not unconvinced she won’t melt away.

That she won’t dissolve into ashes, leave son the wind as her friend kisses her and kisses her _and kisses her_. And she’s kissing _back_.

This, she thinks, is a true adventure.

This, she thinks, is being brave.


End file.
